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Floodplain Administration

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OUTREACH EVENTS

INFORMATION FROM PAST OUTREACH EVENTS

Tucson Floodplain Management Plan (FMP) Update Meeting.

Tuesday, June 11, 2024

Stormwater Workshop
August 8, 2023

How to Reduce Risk and Costs Associated with Flood and Erosion in the Tucson Area

Wednesday, May 22

Watershed	Project Status
Alamo	Existing Conditions & Alternatives, and Final Reports completed by Pima County Regional Flood Control District. Floodplain map revisions (LOMR) in effect as of March 15, 2021. Mayor & Council adopted this watershed management plan in 2021. FEMA grant funding is being considered for one or more identified project alternatives.
Arroyo Chico	Downtown Links drainage infrastructure currently under construction with project completion expected March 2023 and includes large storm drains in Broadway Bl. Flood map updates will be completed after the record drawings are completed by the City, and Pima County Flood Control District submits documentation to FEMA for approval. Tucson Arroyo - Arroyo Chico Phase 2B Increment has been discontinued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Atterbury	Watershed development & drainage planning is being coordinated for the upper watershed and State land area.
Christmas	Feasibility study for potential projects including stormdrain capacity in this watershed was finalized using FEMA grant funding, and neighborhood input for associated green infrastructure. El Con detention project is still identified as a key project. El Con detention is being looked at by PCRFCD. A FEMA grant is being considered for stormdrain improvements along Country Club and Fort Lowell Road and Tucson Boulevard and would include Green Infrastructure improvements if grant is awarded.
El Vado	Neighborhood park / drainage improvements are being planned.
Flowing Wells	Pima County Regional Flood Control District is studying Flowing Wells Wash, Wilson Wash, Navajo Wash, as well as Bronx Wash with West University Watersheds on behalf of the City of Tucson.
Julian	Tucson Airport Authority detention is being planned; Pima County Regional Flood Control is assisting the Airport Authority.
Rodeo	Funding is being sought for an erosion protection and safety improvement for Pennsylvania Dr and Lundy Av dip crossing. Funding is needed for future wash crossing considerations at 16thAv.
Ruthrauff	One of the approved alternative projects from the Ruthrauff Basin Management Plan (approved by Mayor & Council Oct. 24, 2017) is underway near the Gardner Lane area.
Santa Cruz	Santa Cruz River Management Plan(from Santa Cruz County to Pinal County) update: Alternatives Report and Technical Data have been completed by Pima County Regional Flood Control District, project includes post sediment removal assessment from Grant Rd to Avra Valley Rd.Lower Santa Cruz Rivermaster planning project also underway. Floodwall for TEP substation feasibility study including archeological study was completed by FEMA, through a grant. A FEMA grant is being considered for the construction of this project.
Silvercroft	Silvercroft Watershed is being assessed for the Lower Santa Cruz master plan (by Pima County Regional Flood Control District). The El Rio Golf Flood Mitigation Project - detention facilities are complete. Phase 2 to begin next year. Additional improvement projects are being considered and a study is planned for the downstream locations.
Prop 407 (City-wide)	Various drainage improvements being incorporated into park development projects.

City of Tucson Floodplain Board Updates

City of Tucson Mayor and Council (Floodplain Board) adopted the Tucson Floodplain Management Plan 2020 Update, Floodplain Ordinance Revisions, and new Tucson Levee Manual on December 8, 2020. The City has also adopted the revised detention and retention manual (effective date: June 1, 2021). In 2022, a variance was granted by Tucson Flood Board (Tucson Mayor & Council) for erosion hazard setback reduction for the Cottonwood TEP Substation project on the Santa Cruz River. The current City of Tucson Floodplain Ordinance became effective January 8, 2021.

Changes to the Floodplain Ordinance include:

"Critical facility" definition was updated to include new regulatory language as to the minimum elevation and access requirements for new or substantially improved requirements. The purpose of the update is to apply a more stringent requirement to the construction of these facilities.
"Repetitive Loss Property" definition was added to the ordinance based on guidance from the National Flood Insurance Program and to increase opportunity for certain flood-loss claim benefits for City of Tucson property owners.
Development requirement clarifications for placement and elevation of a building’s service equipment in relation to the regulatory flood elevation.
The minimum setback to the listed regional watercourses was updated based on currently FEMA published and approved flood data. The purpose of this requirement is to apply a higher level of scrutiny to new development where there is no, or insufficient, existing bank protection, and where no bank improvements are proposed.